Freezing device



July 5, 1949.

R. E. ELLIOTT FREEZING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1946.

WH0/ways Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES rE'ENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates generally to improved ice cube-forming apparatusfor use especially, though not necessarily, in the freezing compartmentsof domestic refrigerators, for freezing water into cubes for use inserving iced beverages; and more particularly, to improved means forfreezing the cubes in desired ornamental shapes, the primary object ofmy invention being to provide novel and efficient means of thischaracter whereby ice "cubes of varying size and shape may be easily andefciently produced.

Another important object of my invention is to provide improved means ofthe character indicated above in the form of individual molds for theice cubes dimensioned to be employed in "ordinary refrigerator ice traysor to be placed individually within a freezing compartment.

Other important objects and advantageous features of my invention willbe apparent from the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings, wherein a non-limitative embodiment of my invention is setforth merely for illustrative purposes.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view showing aplurality of molds fitted into an ordinary Yrefrigerator ice tray.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the molds.

Figure 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a diamond-shaped ice cube produced inaccordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 6 generally designatesa conventional or ordinary refrigerator ice tray comprising the bottom 1from which the end walls and side walls 8 rise, which are topped by aheader or overhanging lip 9.

The ice tray 6 is generally elongated rectangular providing an elongatedrectangular interior space I0 for conformably receiving a plurality ofindividual molds Il.

The individual molds II comprise blocks of soft and pliable rubber orrubber-like material, made in a uniform rectangular shape, preferably,although not necessarily, about 1'1/8 inches long, 1% inches wide, and11/8 inches in height, with 11g inch high legs I2 at the corners of thebottom I3, about 1/8 of an inch square for spacing the molds from theice tray bottom 1 or other supporting surface during freezing, so thatthe molds will not adhere thereto and can be easily removed.

The molds II have Water-receiving, cubeforming chambers I4 openingthrough their tops I5.

The said chambers I4 in the present instance, as indicated in Figure 1,are in spade, heart diamond, and club shapes, whereby ice cubes IB'ofcorresponding shapes are produced which are especially adapted for usein serving beverages at card parties and cocktail parties.

The chambers I4 are so arranged and disposed in the rubber molds II thatthe laterally and longitudinally most extended portions of the chambersare uniformly spaced from the sides and ends, respectively, of the moldsto define corresponding uniformly thin walls I1 and I8, each preferably,but not necessarily about 116 of an infch thick.

It will be evident from the foregoing that whether the individual moldsII are fitted together into an ordinary ice tray 6, as shown in Figures1 and 2, or placed individually in the freezing compartment of arefrigerator or ice box (not shown), the frozen cubes I6 of the desiredvarying shapes are easily obtained ready for use simply by exing thewalls I1 and I8 and bottom I3, which is of substantially the samethinness as said walls, in a Well known manner to expel the cubes fromthe mold chambers I4.

I claim:

An ice cube-forming device for producing ice cubes of varying shape,said device comprising a plurality of molds Iconsisting of similarrectangular blocks of flexible and compressible material formed withdifferently shaped waterreceiving chambers opening through the tops oflsaid blocks, a generally rectangular freezing tray having side and endwalls defining an interior space conformably and removably receivingsaid plurality of molds in side-by-side and end-to-end relationship, andfeet on the bottoms of said molds spacing the same upwardly from thebottom of said freezing tray.

ROBERT E. ELLIOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 17,279 Copeman Apr. 25, 19291,419,097 Andrews June 6, 1922 1,952,729 Rawlings Mar. 27, 19342,018,252 Cruickshank Oct. 22, 1935

